The Palmer House Suites
by The Lunar Witch
Summary: Serena is the best manager the Palmer House in Chicago has ever had. Darien is the wildest celebrity that has ever stayed within these walls. Will the strict manager be able to handle her crazy guest or will more than a professional relationship bloom?
1. Prolog

Oh, dear, how do I get myself into these stories? I said that I wouldn't start writing this until I finished Undesired Affections, but I guess I lied. I didn't know how to start this story until this morning when a plot bunny looked at me and said, "Do it, punk" and gave me the prolog. Apparently my plot bunnies are all manly jerks, because they always seem to be very abrupt and masculine when they come to me.

OOO

Prolog

"Please sit down, Miss Watson," a woman directed politely as she closed the door behind the young woman and crossed the office to sit at a make shift desk. A sense of confidentiality was needed in situations such as these.

There wasn't much to say about the woman in her grey suit; other than her name was Pamela and she was there to interview every employee at The Palmer House; including Miss Watson. Most people liked to add a little bit of color to an outfit, but this woman didn't. Miss Watson could tell that Pamela hadn't paid much attention to her appearance since the mid 1980s, what with the bad hair spray matted hair and the shoulder pads that could give the terminator a run for his money, she was a fashion faux pas.

"I would first like to say, Miss Watson, that I know this wasn't your fault." She shuffled her papers around looking for the right profile attached to the information sheet that had Miss Watson's personal accounts of the situation. She slid her gold rimmed glasses that hung on its gaudy chain over her nose so that she might be able to read it more clearly. "It says here that you're the Hotel Manager for the PM shift?"

"Well, actually I work whenever I'm needed. Day or night… but my employee files do say PM Hotel Manager, yes," Miss Watson said with confidence as she sat straight in her chair with perfect posture.

"I see…" Pamela leafed through her papers trying to find a pay role sheet that was somewhere on her desk. When she got a hold of it she paused, only moving her lips slightly as she read through the lines. "You work quite a bit." Pamela gave Miss Watson a slight smile.

"My home away from home, "Miss Watson added.

"Yes, I see. And you were at the Pool Facilities when it happened?" Pamela asked for clarification.

"Yes, I was." Miss Watson didn't want to answer these questions. It was starting to make her feel uncomfortable, making her squirm in her chair slightly at the memory of the entire incident.

The interviewer grabbed her clip board that had been borrowed from the hotel and took her pen to paper, ready to take down notes if need be. "How close were you with the guest, Miss Watson?" she asked with little emotion.

"Um… well he was here quite often. I got to know him over the time that he stayed here, I guess," Miss Watson started to feel tears well in her eyes as she remembered the happening of the last few months. Everything had gone from being so familiar to changing all because of one man. Her life, his life, the life of the people she knew and cared about had all changed…

"I see… Alright… Look Serena, I know it's painful, but why don't you just start at the beginning. Just try and remember everything," Pamela sat back in her chair ready for the manager's version of the story.

Serena nodded; remembered the fateful day that Darien Dray first came to stay with them in the Palmer House Suites.

OOO

Auther's Note: I know it's short, and you don't really know what's going on yet, but that's what a prolog is supposed to be about. Believe it or not, this will be a romance story.

I love advanced critiques. So if you have anything good or bad, or even flame related please hit me with it. Bad feedback is better than no feedback at all.


	2. The Guest

Author's Note: Please forgive me for the amount of description that's in the first part of this chapter. I just want to express what kind of person Serena is; meticulous. I promise the entire story isn't going to be this way.

OOO

Serena Watson loved her routine, and today was no different than any other day. Today she was like yesterday and the day before, and she liked it that way. After a long five hours of sleep she had awoken at twelve o'clock P.M. on the dot. Her alarm was set on The Loop, her favorite classic radio station, and today a song by the Rolling Stones was playing, but its name she could not place. Oh, well.

When she swung her legs off the bed she didn't bother to turn the radio off, in fact, she just turned it up. The pretty blonde danced a bit to the music as she made her way across her small bedroom to her small bathroom; which were both comfortably set in her small apartment. Sure, had she opted to live in the suburbs, a good forty five minutes away, she could afford an apartment that was a quite a bit larger with a little bit thicker walls, but this was Chicago; the windy city, and Serena wouldn't have moved for anything.

After getting out of the shower, dripping wet, she spent a few moments looking in the mirror. Other than the dark gray bags underneath her bright blue eyes she was rather pretty. Her long golden hair reached her mid back, and was naturally wavy in its current sopping wet arrangement.

Serena looked passed her own reflection, trying to read the digital alarm clock backwards, and was quite pleased that she had gotten out of the shower at the exact same time she got out everyday; 51:21… or 12:15 as most people read clocks. She had two hours and forty-five minutes before she had to be back at work. Perfect.

After spending exactly fourteen minutes drying and putting her hair up perfectly in a classic bun, she spent another six minutes putting on her make up; which only included classic ivory consealer, a bit of rose silk blush, black mascara, and lip gloss.

Still standing in her white cotton panties and 34C sized bra she opened her closet to find her collection of gray suits; all exactly the same, save a few small details that were placed here and there. She spent a moment to pick one out and grabbed a light pink collared top to go with it. Considering the amount of effort she put into saving time this was a little bit strange; since the suits were virtually the same.

She got dressed and walked out into the little living room that was sadly furnished with very little. After picking up the bag by the door, slipping on her Keds, and being sure to grab her keys from a dish full of pennies she looked at the little black cat that sat on her neglected kitchen table. "Be good, Luna," She smiled and closed the door behind her. Exactly two hours and fifteen minutes before she had to be at work.

Serena got downstairs and started to walk down the busy sidewalk. Though it wasn't 'traffic house,' when workers went to work or were getting out, it was still busy. There was no time of day that these sidewalks of Chicago were not clogged with people.

She smiled as she smelled the air that was blowing off of Lake Michigan. This summer was a nice one. Though they had had some pretty hot days, the breeze off of the lake was refreshing, and the humidity was rather low.

After a good twenty minutes of walking the blonde finally made it to her first stop; a local coffee shop at the corner of Wabash and Adams. She got her usual, picked up a Chicago Tribune, and sat down to enjoy her coffee and bagel. Hmm. Mayer Daley to reform city tax laws. Yeah right. She rolled her eyes at the paper, and read on. There had been a shooting in West Chicago and a robbery at a store in the Water Tower Place, but other than that it was a Sunny day with a low of 70 and a high of 87.

Serena looked at her silver watch on her wrist and hopped off the stool that she had called her own almost ever day she had stopped at the coffee shop. She waved goodbye at the familiar barista and headed it out again, this time stopping at the dry cleaner to pick up any clothing that might have been done since she had dropped some off earlier that morning at the end of her shift.

She stopped, only being a block away from The Palmer House, and opened her bag to reveal a set of high heel work shoes. She slipped off one of her Keds and slipped on one of the black shoes, then did the same with the other. After hiding them safely in the bag she continued to walk. She couldn't afford to have a guest see her without her work shoes on. It just wasn't professional.

After rounding the corner she got a glimpse of the bell man that was waiting to open the door for any guest that might be looking to enter the facility. "Hello," she nodded the employee as he opened the door for her to enter. Walking through the hotel, she was greeted at almost every moment until she got her office behind the front desk. One hour until she had to be at work; this was her Routine.

OOO

"Look, I'm sorry sir, but I can't check you in without a _REAL NAME_." The blond at the front desk was trying to be polite. She was doing exactly as she had been trained, but this guest was getting on her nerves and it was showing.

"Look, as far as you're concerned, this is his real name. Why does it matter?" A suited man smiled attractively as he leaned on the front desk; trying to charm his way through the rules. He gestured to a pitch haired man all in black, with sunglasses, and a black thigh length jacket on.

"Scooby Doo is not a real name!" the front desk agent said forcefully.

"Mina?" A female voice sounded from behind the blond. "Is there something wrong, here?" she asked politely.

"Serena!" Mina said quite happily. Finally these guests would see. Serena was one of the hotel managers and she didn't take crap from anyone… nor did she bend the rules, ever. "Um… yeah, these gentlemen would like to check in with a fake name. I keep telling them that I can't do it, but they won't listen." Mina's stress level had surpassed her training level, and it definitely showed.

Serena walked up to the front desk and extended her hand to both of the men waiting to be checked in. "Hello, my name is Serena Watson. I'm the hotel manager." She noted the attractiveness of the gentleman standing farther back. Not to say that the man that Mina had been dealing with wasn't good looking, but there was something dark and mysterious about the one dressed all in black. There was something strangely familiar about him.

The darker haired man quickly stepped forward, which made Mina jump slightly. Serena noted her employee's reaction; apparently this had been the first time the guest had ever made any attempt to communicate. "Hi, I'm Scooby, how do you do?" He said with a smirk, and an attractively deep chuckle. "And this is my friend, Andrew." He turned to Andrew smiling, "Andrew this is Serena. She's the hotel manager."

Andrew rolled his pretty green eyes and chuckled. "Yes, thank you, Darien," He mumbled under his breath. "I heard that." He turned to Serena.

Darien… Serena looked hard at the man who had been addressed so and suddenly remembered something she had read in her paper earlier. _Darien Drey is to be in town for the next few months for an upcoming movie… _It was on the front page of the entertainment section. This was Darien Drey! He was a big movie star! Of course, he would want to check into a hotel under a fake name! She smiled at Darien, trying to be as polite as possible. "I apologize for the inconvenience, Mr. Doo." She turned towards Mina and smiled. "Mina, check in these gentlemen under the name provided. It's alright."

"Thank you. Thank you, very much, Serena the Hotel Manager," Mr. Drey's sunglasses slid down his nose slightly as he gave her a charmingly handsome smile. Upon doing so, Serena suddenly realized the need for such eyewear inside a comfortably lit hotel. His eyes were dilated and completely bloodshot. The man was high!

"Darien!"

Serena's attention was suddenly caught by two horribly thin girls with breasts the size of watermelons. Their tiny skirts clung to their every curve, and in some areas rode up so high that parts of their undergarments were clearly visible. Without even realizing it, Serena scrunched her nose up in disgust. The girls were dirty; slutty; with very little… no… just no class at all.

"Darien!" They whined in baby talk as they ran up in their four inch heels and wrapped their arms around the celebrity affectionately. "What's taking so long? We want to get up to the room." They were like twins, talking in complete unison.

"No, not Darien, dear." Mr. Drey wagged his finger at one of the women. "Today I am Scooby Dooby Dooo!" he yelled out in a striking impression of the animated dog.

When they were finally handed their keys to the penthouse suite the entire party started to walk towards the elevators, with Serena close behind. "Please, if there is anything we can do for you while you're here, don't hesitate to ask." She pulled Andrew aside, convinced that Mr. Drey was, at the moment, distracted by the two bimbos on each of his arms.

"Andrew, I have noticed that your client has come into our hotel under the influence of some kind of _prescription_ drug," She stopped, trying to let her new guest walk even farther ahead of them. "Please understand that we are a no tolerance hotel. If anything is found in his room, or if Mr. Drey disturbs any of my other guests here, I will have to ask him to leave."

"I completely understand and will keep that in mind," He nodded and extended his hand to her. "Thank you for the warning. I will be sure to keep Darien in check during his stay here. Please excuse me."

Serena watched as her new guests walked away. "Oh, Mr. Doo?" She asked suddenly, a twinge of curiosity suddenly hitting her.

Mr. Drey turned to look at her.

"Will we be expecting any other members of the Scooby Gang to be joining you tonight?"

Mr. Drey smiled, understanding the joke. There was something about this woman. She had a stick shoved pretty far up her ass, but there was still something… "No… No, I don't believe so." He turned, continuing towards the elevator before stopping one more time. "Oh, but… I do believe the Flintstones will be stopping by later."

OOO

By the time Serena had gotten home from work that night the clock had just hit 1:30A.M. It wasn't that her shift went so late, she just found herself getting caught up in more and more details that had to be dealt with. First Mrs. McGriel check had bounced again. Then Mr. Cord locked himself out of his room, completely naked, and, on more than one occasion that night she had found herself whipping up the vomit that had been left in the elevator by the business men from New York. Of course, she could have let the night audit deal with such things, but there was always something about doing it herself. What was that saying… if it's not done right… do it yourself?

Serena dropped herself on her bed and let out a nice long sigh. Finally, she was going to be able to get some sleep. She stretched her arms out over her head, moaning as the pleasant feeling she was getting from the action. She pulled her nude colored stockings off of each foot and threw them into her laundry basket.

"How was your day, Luna?" She asked her cat as she gave it a nice long stroke on her back. It seemed that the feline had made quite a nice little nest in her master's bed, and was purring to her self contently.

Serena stripped out of her suit, making sure to hang it up and put it into the 'dirty' portion of her closet before settling in bed once more. Oh, to sleep, she mused to herself as she pulled the covers over herself. She nestled comfortably beneath her blankets and turned out the lights. Darkness. Silence. Sleep.

The phone rang… ugh… the phone rang. Why the hell does the phone have to ring right then? Why?

Serena picked up the receiver and put it to her ear. A frustrated, "What?" was all she could even tolerate to deliver as a greeting. "You can't be serious…" Serena turned on the light and looked completely shocked as she listened to the person on the other end of the phone. "And where is the on duty hotel mana— Called in sick?" She looked disgusted as words left her mouth. Never in a million years would she call in sick. Even if she were hacking up blood and growing a fresh cultivation of boiled on her feet; she would still be in a pair of high heels with a smile on her face. "I'll be right there."

OOO

Within another ten minutes Serena was on her feet back into a fresh suit. Her hair was perfectly done; like it had been earlier that afternoon. There wasn't a strand out of place. The worst thing that could possibly come out of this was that she might be seen in out of her usual uniform.

Five hours until her next shift began.

"Where is he?" She asked the night audit as she unlocked the front door to the lobby with her master key. When she was pointed in the right direction she practically stomped her way to the area. Why? Why did these things have to happen in her hotel?

"Strangers in the night!" A drunken slur rang across the echoing pool room. Porcelain tile reflected the worst acoustics that Serena had ever heard. The usual sounds that came from this room, laughing children and adults doing the backstroke, were nothing compared to the drunken rendition of Frank's classic lyrics. "Exchanging glances. Wandering in the night. What were the chances!"

"Mr. Dre-Doo! What in the world are you doing?" Serena exclaimed over the belting movie star. Mr. Drey was still completely dressed in the same clothes she had seen him in earlier that day, but this didn't seem to bother him in the slightest. Even after her protests he continued to sing his song.

"We'd be sharing love before the night was throuuuuuuugh!" Mr. Drey put his arms up as if her were waltzing with a woman in his arms. With a drunken gaze he stared into the invisible lady with love in his eyes. "Something in your eyes was so inviting. Something in your smile was so exciting. Something in my heart told me I must have you…" He suddenly looked up at Serena as if seeing her for the first time. "Serena! The hotel manager!" He swayed slightly and hiccupped as he tried to regain his balance in the large swimming pool. Apparently the waltzing had made him just a little dizzy. "I have a confession to make." He smiled wryly as he made his way to the edge of the pool and looked up at her with glazy eyes. "My real name isn't Scooby," he whispered loudly.

"Yes, I know, Mr. Drey." She said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. You're bleeding!" Serena pointed out with concern in her eyes as she noticed the huge gash on his hairline. A watery red river ran down his face as his blood mixed with the pool's shimmering aqua liquid.

"Hey! I'm bleeding!" He said quite astonished as he put his hand to his head and looked at the blood that came off onto his finger tips. He laughed as she watched the streaming fluid mix with pool water.

"Mr. Drey, please come out of the pool so we can clean you up." Serena extended her hand to the man, which only seemed to make him back off and reenter the center of the pool.

"Stranger in the night!" He continued this time singing at the top of his lungs. "Dooby dooby doo!"

"Really Mr. Drey…" she was starting to get frustrated with this guest. "It's not your head I'm worried about, but our pool…" She looked at the water that was now a mixture of red swirl and chlorine.

"Join me," he sang, or at least, tried to sing to the same harmony. He extended his hand out so that she might take it.

Serena scoffed at the gesture. Even the idea of getting into that pool was preposterous. "I'm not getting in with you, Mr. Drey."

With that answer he moved even farther away from her, not willing to get out of the pool for, what seemed like, anything. Suddenly, with little notice, he started to unbutton his dress shirt; stripping down to are chest. "Schrangers in the night!" He continued, his slur getting worse.

Serena looked at him, her eyes getting wide as she watched him in his drunken idiocy. "Fine!" she said as she took off her dress shoes and threw them down onto the tiled floor. She removed her jacket and pondered for a moment on what else she could save from the horrible fate of chlorine water, then dipped a stocking wrapped foot into the liquid's cool temperature. She just prayed that no other guest would see her getting into the large swimming pool fully dressed in her work clothes. "Come here, Mr. Drey," her voice was almost motherly, as if she were speaking to a child. She extended her hand one more time this time hoping that he would come to her.

Mr. Drey reached to grab onto her with a pleased smile on his face. When he finally had a hold of it he pulled her closer to him, pulling her deeper into the water until he had her in his arms and the tide had risen to her elbows. "Dance with me, Serena," he smiled playfully as he took her hand into his and started to slowly, but still rather clumsily, sway with her. Now completely satisfied with his position he went back to his song, this time only humming it. The tune suddenly changed, and as he got farther and farther into the melody of it he started to mumbled the words quietly, never getting above a whisper.

"_No, you can't always get what you want  
You can't always get what you want  
You can't always get what you want  
But if you try sometime you find  
You get what you need"_

Serena looked at the dark handsome man with a quizzical brow. That song… she had heard it earlier that day… when she had first woken up. Her heart started to beat more rapidly, but why she didn't know. "Mr. Drey, this really isn't appropriate," She tried to push herself out of his arms but found he had a little more strength than she.

"Who cares what's appropriate," He smiled not really looking at her, but more beyond her. "I don't care."

"I do, Mr. Drey," her voice faltered slightly, becoming almost a whisper. "If any other guests were to see me like this—"

"See you like what?" he asked, not amused.

"Let's just get out of the pool, Mr. Drey." She tried one more time, hoping that this time he would come to his senses even if he was still in a drunken stupor.

Mr. Drey looked down at Serena and nodded finally conceding to what she was asking for. He took a few steps towards the pool stairs, stilling loosely holding onto Serena's hand as made his way out.

Serena followed, finally happy. In the two years she had managed the property never had something as strange as this ever happened. She had seen some strange things, but as Darien stepped onto those tiled steps she noticed that he was still wearing a pair of black leather shoes. She shook her head, smiling slightly. Yes, the entire night had been quite strange.

Serena grabbed her still dry pieces of clothing and walked out with her bizarre guest. He still had her hand lightly gripping onto his as if it might be the life line keeping him afloat. She struggled to keep him from falling, supporting him as he walked, still completely inebriated

"Miss. Watson?" A deep husky voice sounded before them as they made their way to the elevators.

"No!" Serena whispered to herself as she closed her eyes tightly, tears beginning to form as she recognized the voice. How had she not noticed him before she had stepped out of the Pool Room? "Mr. Diamond…" Serena tried to muster out a smile, but it felt as if none would come. Mr. Diamond, one of her most important guests… was seeing her like this; a wet mess, supporting a drunken man on her one shoulder, with her makeup dripping all over her face. "It's good to see you again," she choked.

"And you as well, Miss Watson." Diamond said giving her a once over. "This is a look I've never seen before." He gave her a sly smile, joking at her expense.

Serena felt her heart tighten. Maybe, just maybe, had he not mentioned her appearance she would have been ok, at least she could have acted as if it had never happened, but not now. Why? Why of all guests did it have to be Mr. Diamond?

"When did you get in?" She asked politely, her voice becoming slightly emotional. Hold it in Serena. You can't have him see you like this.

"Earlier this evening…"

"I see…" She gave him a half smile. "Oh!" as Mr. Drey put a little more weight on her shoulders she suddenly remembered that she was still supporting his weight. "I do hope you will excuse me?"

"Of course, I wouldn't keep you. Oh, uh, Serena" Mr. Diamond stopped once more with his charmingly sly smile. "I hope that we might _talk_ a little bit later. I have some important matters to _discuss_ with you."

"Yes, of course, Mr. Diamond… Welcome back." She smiled; her heart pounding.

"_No, you can't always get what you want  
You can't always get what you want  
You can't always get what you want  
And if you try sometime you find  
You get what you need"_

-"You Can't Always Get What You Want," The Rolling Stones

Author's Note: So, you've never heard the song "You Can't Always Get What You Want"? I suggest you listen to it. It's actually a wonderful song. I'm not even a big Rolling Stones fan, but I love this. I'm not one to usually put lyrics into my fics, but this one had some pretty important symbolism. Actually both "Stranger in the Night" by Frank Sinatra and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" are both important songs about this story.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please tell me what you think. Whether it be bad or good, flaming or whatever… any kind of feedback is better than no feedback at all. Also! Think you know what's going on? Give me your predictions on what is ultimately going to happen. Something's going to happen at the end of this story… see if you can guess what it is.


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